The latest centre for Covid-19 vaccinations in Warwickshire has opened today (January 26) at the National Agricultural and Exhibition Centre in Stoneleigh.

The new NHS Vaccination Centre is among more than 30 opening across the country as the vaccination drive continues to accelerate.

There is now a network of 50 large scale centres, capable of jabbing thousands of people a week, across the country.

They include the Hall One at the NAEC Stoneleigh events centre.

People aged 75 and over are being invited to book a vaccination at the centres or one of more than 70 pharmacy services now operating across the country.

If they cannot or do not want to travel to a vaccination centre people can wait to be jabbed by a local GP service or hospital hub.

Mel Coombes, Chief Executive of NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust said: "We are delighted to be working together with our NHS colleagues to deliver the Covid-19 vaccine to our local communities.

"We are extremely proud of all our staff who have stepped up to be involved in the vaccination programme in the fight against this pandemic. We look forward to vaccinating as many people as possible within the next few weeks."

79 year-old Margaret Lewis, from Rugby, was the first patient to receive the Covid-19 vaccine at NAEC Stoneleigh Vaccination Centre this morning.

The latest openings mean that vaccinations are now available from more than 1,300 NHS sites as part of the biggest immunisation drive in NHS history.

Appointments are staggered to allow for social distancing and people are urged not to turn up early to avoid queues.

Nobody needs to contact the NHS, as people will be invited when it is their turn and people cannot get vaccinated by just turning up.

Those like care home residents who are unable to travel to vaccine centres, hospitals or GP-led sites are already being jabbed at home.

This centre is being managed by Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT) in partnership with the Clinical Commissioning Groups in Coventry, Rugby and Warwickshire.

Rob Spencer, Associate Director of Operations at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust said: "Working for CWPT I am proud to be working with our partners in Coventry and Warwickshire, across health and social care to make this vaccination centre possible, and we are pleased to be able to start vaccinating within Coventry and Warwickshire so quickly.

"NAEC Stoneleigh will allow us to vaccinate our general population, and vulnerable groups, as well as NHS and social care staff."

For more information about the vaccination centre at NAEC Stoneleigh and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) visit the CWPT website.